Former auto industry icon Carlos Ghosn has been seen and heard in public for the first time since he was arrested in Japan in November on financial misconduct charges.
Ghosn is charged with failing to report tens of millions of dollars in pay and other compensation to Japanese authorities while he was CEO and chairman of Nissan.
Ghosn appeared gaunt and his black hair was turning grey.
Ghosn denied any wrongdoing.
Point by point—- Ghosn told a judge that he never received compensation from Nissan that was not disclosed.
He said that any deferred compensation after his retirement had not been determined.
He admitted to leveraging Nissan as collateral against his personal swap losses but said that the swap contracts were transferred back to him at no cost to Nissan.
And Ghosn said that payments to a Saudi businessman were for legitimate business purposes and not payback for personal financial help.
Ghosn remains in jail.
